Actuating slide for the needles of a hand knitting machine



Nov. 1, 1960 W. BRM 2,958,214

ACTUATING SLIDE FORv THE NEEDLES OF' A HAND KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheetv l l m EVLImH /Nvf/WOR WALTER BMM by /z d. l

A 77o R fy Nov. 1, 1960 W. BRM

ACTUATING SLIDE FOR THE NEEDLES oF A HAND KNITTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1958 Nov. 1, 1960 w. BRM

A HAND KNITTING MACHINE F O.. S E L D E E N E H T R O F E D T. L S G N I T A U T C A 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1958 #www :E:

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. BRM TUATING SLIDE FOR THE NEEDLES OF' HAND KNITTING MACHINE 3l 3b 32a Nov. l, 1960 Filed Sept. 4, 1958 Nov. 1, 1960 w BRM 2,958,214

ACTUATING SLID FOR THE NEEDLES OF A HAND KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4. 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l A @om Ii Z2 /Nvf/v 70A WA 1.1m 15x im by /TToR fvf y Nov. l, 1960 w. BRM 2,958,214

ACTUATING SLIDE FOR THE.' NEEDLES OF A HAND KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 /f 4f by /moze Ey,

ACTUATING SLIDE FR THE NEEDLES F A HAND KNITTING MACHINE Walter Brm, Dietikon, Switzerland, assignor to Paliz- Holding A.G., Zug, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Sept. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 759,069

Claims priority, application Switzerland Sept. 7, 1957 Claims. (Cl. 66-78) The present invention relates to a slide for actuating the needles of a hand knitting machine, more particularly to a slide having two needle retracting devices for moving the needles in one direction and a needle advancing device for moving the needles in the opposite direction, the latter device may be provided with a needle catch and guide flap.

In the actuating slide according to the invention the needle advancing and retracting devices can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the needle bed for placing the devices into an operative and into an idle position.

The needle actuating slide according to the invention includes the following elements:

An adjustable member connected with each needle retracting device and having a guide surface forming one side of a channel for guiding the feet of the knitting needles. Means for simultaneously adjusting the position of said members of both needle retracting devices for uniformly changing the location of the guide surfaces of the two needle retracting devices. A single element for placing the two needle retracting devices into active and idle positions. A single means for putting the needle advancing device in the operative a-nd the idle position and for locking and releasing the needle catch and guide ilap. Return means for returning needles which have been moved out of the operating ranges of the needle advancing and retracting devices, to said ranges.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, and additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the underside of an actuating slide according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the actuating slide.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the actuating slide and of a part of a needle bed, the section being made along line III-III in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the actuating slide, the section being made along line IV--IV in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the actuating slide and of a part of a needle bed, the section being made along line V-V in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the actuating slide, the section being made along line VI-VI in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the actuating slide, the section being made along line VII- VII in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the actuating slide, the section being made along line VIII-VIII i-n Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a bottom view of a slide for simultaneously and uniformly adjusting the needle retracting devices.

States Patent O Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the actuating slide shown v 2,958,214 Patented Nov. 1, 19760 ICC Z in Fig. l, the section being made along line X-X of Fi 1.

ig. 11 is a top view of a detail of a needle returning device forming part of the actuating slide shown in Fig. 1. U

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of a modified actuating slide according to the invention. v

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12.

Figs. 14 to 19 are diagrammatic top views of the working parts of an actuating slide according to the invention, showing movable and adjustable parts in different operating positions and also showing the respective paths of the needles.

Since an actuating slide for the needles of a knitting machine must afford a great number of different knitting operations, numerous adjustments for the actuating cams must be provided. These adjustments will be described at the end of the present specification with reference to Figs. 14 to 19. Several parts are made adjustable for varying the size of the stitches and for adapting the actuating slide to different yarns.

The conventional hand knitting machine comprises a plane needle bed 78 (Figs. 3 and 5) having grooves in which needles 79 having tongues 79e at one end are individually longitudinally movable so that the hooks 79a at the ends of the needles produce stitches. The ends of the needles which are opposite to the ends provided with hooks are provided with feet or butts 79b which project upward from the needle bed 78 and which are engaged by the cams 6, 7 and 8 (Figs. 1, 12, 14 to 19) of the actuating slide when the latter is moved along and parallel to the Ineedle bed 78 in a direction normal to the needles 79. The needle bed with the needles and the operation thereof are Well known and are, therefore, not described at length.

When knitting a shermans rib, the needles move along paths of different length upon movement of the actuating slide in opposite directions. This is automatically effected by releasing a catch flap 52 which is operatively connected with the needle advance device 6. The catch ap 52 acts on the feet of the needles as a cam only when the actuating slide is moved in one direction.

The illustrated actuating slide includes a plate 3 which is provided with guides 1 and 2 which travel on suitable rails along the needle bed when the actuating slide is moved. A mounting plate 5 is secured on the plate 3 by means of rivets 4. A central needle advancing device 6 and two needle retracting devices 7 and 8 are secured symmetrically with respect to the device 6 on the mounting plate 5 and form guide channels for the feet of .the needles. The devices can be moved independently of each other up and down perpendicularly to the plane of the needle 'bed for putting the devices out and into operating position. The devices 7 and 8 are provided with positioning means for changing the position of the needle guide surfaces of the devices and of tile configuration of the channels for the needle feet. The device 6 is provided with a slide 49 which controls the catch flap 52 and which will be described later.

In the following mechanisms are described which produce the desired arrangements and displacements. The needle retracting devices 7 and 8 are provided with guide pins 9 and 10, respectively (Figs. 4 and 6). The guide pins carry rollers 11 and 12, respectively (Fig. 3), which are pressed by means of springs 14 (Fig. 6) individually `acting on the pins 9 and 10 against a cam. rail 13. The rail 13 is formed as shown in Fig. 3 so that it can produce by three displacements of the 3 lengths x four arrangements of the two devices 7 and 8, namely: Y

(a) Both cams out of operation,

' (b) Cam 8 operating, cam 7 not operating,

(c) Both cams operating,

(d) Cam .8'out of operation, cam 7 operating.

In the position of the member 13 shown in Fig. 3 both devices 7 and 8 are operating. movedV to the left by the distance x the roller 12 and therewith the device 8 is moved upward by the force of the spring 14 normal to the plane of the needle bed and is thereby put out of operation. Displacement of the member 13 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right by the distance x effects lifting of the device 7 in a direction normal to the needle bed so that the device 7 ceases to engage the needle feet. `Continued movement of the member 13 to the right by the distance x causes placement' also of the device 8 out of the operating position. For effecting the aforesaid displacements of the rail 13 a lever -15 is used (Figs. 3, 4) which is rigidly connected by means of a pin v16 with a tooth segment 17 and a cam 18 (Fig. l). The latter is provided with notches which cooperate with two retaining springs 19 and 26 and the teeth of the former are in mesh with the teeth of a rack 21 which forms part of the member 13. As seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the tWo guide pins 9 and lil serve for indicating the position of the devices 7 and 8. Retaining plates 23 and 24 are provided on top of the pins 9 and 10, respectively, for retaining the springs 14. If one of these retaining plates is visible in the lower part of a window 27, 28 in the housings 25 of the pins 9 and 10, respectively, the respective device 7 or 8 is in lowered or operative position. lf a retaining plate is Visible in the upper part of the window, the respective device is in the inoperative or idle position.

As explained above, the devices 7 and 8 can be moved as a whole independently of each other in a direction normal to the plane of the needle bed. The devices are composed of several parts for changing the conguration of the channels guiding the needle feet by changing the relative position of the parts. The device 8 includes an adjustable cam member 22 (Figs. 1 and 8) which is provided with shde means 22' guided in -a slot 26 of a plate 30 placed above the member 22 and supported by a guide pin 9 or 10 (Fig. 6). Since the slot 26 is substantially parallel to the needle guide surface 22a determining the needle foot channel, the part 22 can be displaced substantially parallel of this channel. The slot 26 may form an angle up to 15 with the surface 22a or the needle foot channel. The upper part of a pin 29 (Figs. 8, 9) which is rigidly connected with the part 22 and the slide means 22 abuts against an abutment 31a of a cross-like element or carrier 31 and abuts against an abutment 32a of a rocking element 32 which is pivotally connected with the carrier 31 and which is held in the abutting position by means of a spring 33.

The parts of which the device 7 is composed are similar to and symmetrical of the parts of which the device 8 is composed and are, therefore, not described in detail. The retaining mechanism for the pin 29 may be arranged differently, for example, by guiding the pin in a slot of the rocking element 32 which is held by a spring 33 ,against an abutment provided on the carrier 31. In this case, preferably an additional abutment is provided on the element 31, limiting the rocking movement of the member 32.`

If the actuating slide is moved from left to right in Fig. 1 and the foot of a needle is abutted by the member 22 of the device 8 which, in this case, moves ahead of the device 6, the member 22 yields against the action of the spring 33 and moves in the direction of the slot 26 so that there is no excessive pull on the stitch held by the head of the needle. Upon further movement to the right the needle `foot slides on the surface 22a of the device 7 which surface is substantially parallel tp the slot lf the cam rail 13 iS 4 26 so that the device 7 cannot yield and fully retracts the needle whose foot is in `.engagement therewith as is necessary for accurately completing the desired stitch.

To provide a uniform knitting the guide surfaces of the devices '7 and 8 must be exactly-symmetric of the guide surfaces of the device 6. This is elected by the parts of the actuating slide which will be described below. and which aifotds correct simultaneous adjustment of the devices 7 and 8. y

As seen in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 9, a guide rail 34 rests on a cross-like element or carrier 31 to which a pin 35 is connected which extends through a slot in the guide rail 34. As seen in Fig. 9, the pin 35 extends also through a curved slot 36a in a disc 36 which is rigidly connected to a revolvable head 37 (Fig. 5) which is provided with marks indicating the position of the par-ts 22 of the devices 7 and 8. In order to arrest the adjusting mechanism a nut 39 is screwed onto a threaded pin 441 which is secured `against rotation by means of a disc 40a. A spring 41 presses the disc 36 onto the plate 3, also when the nut 39 is loosened.

-If the head 37 is so revolved that the disc 3e rotates counterclockwise in Fig. 9, the pin 35 and the cross-like element 31 are pressed rearwardly. This causes rocking of elements 32 which are pivoted to the element 31. Pins 29 which are connected with the members 22 are thereby displaced by means of rockers 32 which are pivoted to the "cross-like element 31. Simultaneously the parts 22 are displaced along the slots 2.6, the pins 29 extending through these slots. These simultaneous and uniform displacement of the parts 22 of the devices 7 and 8 relatively to the device 6 is indicated by the position of the marks on the head 37. Y The device 6 can be lifted and lowered in a direction normal-to the plane o-f the needle bed and can thereby be placed in idle or inoperative position. As seen in Figs..1 and 5 the device 6 has a cam member 6 which is rigidly connected with a pin 42 placed in a rotatable sleeve 44 (Fig. 5). The latter is Kaxially movably held in a guide sleeve 43 Vwhich is rigidly connected to the plate 3 of the actuating slide. ln order to retain the sleeve 44 in two extreme positions in the guide sleeve 43, annular grooves 44a and 4417 are provided in the sleeve 44 for receiving a ball 46 which is accommodated in a suitable cut-out in the guide sleeve 43 and pressed against the sleeve 44 by means of a spring 45. A head 47 is rigidly connected with the sleeve 44;-pulling up of the head or knob 47 causing disengagement of the cam member 6' fromvthe. needle feet and pushing down of the knot causing engagement of the needle feet.`

As seen in Figs. 1 and 5 the device 6 includes a slide 49 slidable in a suitable slideway in the member 6 in a direction which is normal to Vthe direction of movement of the actuating slide and having a triangular end portion. The slide 49 is shown in Fig. l in the extreme forward position, the left side of the triangular end portion forming a portion of a needle guide surface and a side of a channel for the needle feet. A needle guide portion 52 of a needle catch and guide ilap 52 rests on the right side of the triangular point of the slide 49 when the slide is in the position shown in Fig. l, forming a portion of a needle guide surface which is symmetric to the guide surface on the left side of the end portion of the slide 49. The flap 52 is held by a spring 51 in this position. If the slide 49 is retracted for releasing the catch ilap 52 Ithe needles are moved on unsymmetric paths when the actuating slide is moved to the right in Fig. 1. This operation is desired for producing relative positions of the needle actuating parts of the actuating slide which positions are shown in Fig. 18 and desired for producing a certain kind of knitting which will be described later. The lslide 49 is moved by rotating the knob 47. The sleeve 44 is rigidly connected with a cam 48 onto which a follower 'pin Si), `which is rigidly connected with the slide 49, isl pressed by means of the spring 51. The slide 49 may be moved forward (downward in Fig. 1) or may be allowed to be moved backward by the spring 51Y by suitable rotation of the knob 47. If the slide 49 is in the forward position the llap 52 which swings on a pivot 53 rests on the slide and is retained in this position by the spring 51. Besides the devices 7 and 8 and the mechanism .for simultaneously adjusting these devices, the mechanism for placing the cam means in operative or idle position and the means for locking and unlocking the needle catch and guide flap, the lactuating slide according to the invention includes also a device for returning those needles which are outside of reach of the needle guide surfaces of the devices 6 and 8 to a position in which they can be acted on by the needle guide surfaces.

The purpose of the aforesaid returning mechanism is to facilitate pattern knitting by automatically retracting and placing in the position for taking part in the knitting operation the needles which were temporarily so far pushed forward or backwand into a rest position in which they do not take part in the knitting operation that the feet of these needles are placed forward of the I:forward or rearward of the rearward vertically bent rims of the mounting plate 5. One form of the needle returning mechanism comprises, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, a threecorner prism 54 and two switch plates 55 and 56 engaged thereby and a .trapezoidal guide member 57 which is movable in a direction normal to the plane of the needle bed. As seen in Figs. l, l and 1l, the switch plates 55 and 56 are swingable on pivots 59 and 60, respectively, and are pressed by means of a spring 58 against the stationary triangle 54. The guide member 57 is mounted o-n a carrier 6l (Fig. l0) which is swingable on a pivot 62 and urged upward by a spring 63 upon movement of a latch 64 to the left. If there are needles in the rest, i.e., in the most advanced position, their feet are in the way of the lguide member 57 when the actuating slide is moved. lf the needle return mechanism is in the operative posi-tion, the need-le feet are moved by the inclined needle guide surfaces of the member 57 into the space between the prism 54 and the respective switch plate 55 or 56. Thereafter the needles move into the needle -feet channels formed by suitable edges of fthe switch plates 55 and 56 and by one side of the triangular end portion of the slide 49 and by the flap 52.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a modied arrangement of a needle return mechanism. The parts of the mechanism which are identical to parts of the mechanism shown in Figs. l to l1 will not be described in the following. In the apparatus shown in Figs. 12 and 13 a needle foot channel is formed by a stationary bridge 65 in the region of the catch flap 52 and the triangular end portion of the slide 49. Downwardly bent end portions of plate springs 66 and 67 serve for returning the needles which were in rest position into the operating position. The springs 66 and 67 are mounted on the mounting plate 5 by means of screws 63 and 69, respectively. The springs 66 and 67 are similarly shaped as the plorwlike shaped springs 70 and 7l which are always in the active position as seen in Fig. 7. The springs 66 and 67 are so for-med that their downwardly Ibent end portions can engage needle feet which come into their reach only when the springs are pressed down by means of push-buttons 72. In this case the springs 66 and 67 guide the needle feet below the mounting plate so that they may enter the normal needle foot channel and can again take part in the knitting operation. Each of the elements 66 and 67 forms a pair of needle guides which are so arranged that not only needles which are in the most yforward rest position are engaged but also needles which are in the hindmost position and, therefore, out of operation.

Figs. 14 to 19 diagrammatically illustnate top views of the displaceable and adjustable parts of the actuating slide according to the invention in different positions. These iigures also show, in dash-dot lines, the paths of the needles which are not in rest position or which are pulled into the operating position by the needle return mechanism which is in 'active position. VThe parts which are in active position are hatched in Figs. 14 to 19.

In the lposition shown in Fig. 14 the devices 7 and 8 are in inoperative posi-tion. The needles whose feet follow a path which is indicated by a dash-dot line 73 are pushed forward by the device 6 and are retracted by the bridge 65 only so far that the stitches remain behind the tongues of the needle heads.

In the position shown in Fig. 15 the device 8 is in the operating position. Upon displacement of the slide from Iright to left, the needles are pushed forward but are only little retracted so that they remain in the thread inserting position. The path of the needle feet is indicated by a dash-dot line 74.

In the position shown in Fig. 16 the device 7 is in operating position and the device `8 is in the idle position. With this arrangement the needles, upon movement of the actuating slide to the left, are moved from the operating position (threading position) and from the idle position in which the needle head is adjacent to and behind the striking comb. The needles are so far retracted that the needle heads remain behind the striking comb affording knitting oil` of the stitches. Line 75 indicates the path of the needle feet.

In the position illustrated in Fig. 17 the needle advance device 6 is in the idle position so that the needles whose feet are on the line 76 are not pushed forward.

In the position of the actuating slide according to the invention shown in Figs. 18 and 19 the slide 49 of the needle advance device 6 is in the rear position so that the needle catch and guide flap 52 advances the needles upon movement of the slide from right to left (Fig. 18), the needle guide portion 52 of the llap 52 abutting against the member 6. When the slide is moved from left to right as shown in Fig. 19 the needles are advanced only by the cam member' and are not engaged by the ilap 52. The path of the needle feet is shown by dash-dot lines 77 in Fig. 18 and 78 in Fig. 19.

I claim:

l. In a hand knitting apparatus comprising a plurality of knitting needles, a needle bed including needle `guide means longitudinally movably supporting said needles in a common plane and in parallel relation: a needle actuating slide including a plate slidably supported by said needle bed, a needle advancing device connected to said plate and having two needle guide surfaces, two needle lretracting devices arranged mirrorsymmetrically with respect to said advancing device, said needle retracting devices being individually mov- -ably connected to said plate to move in a direction normal to the plane in which said needles are located, positioning means movably connected to said plate for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movability of said plate, said positioning means having cam portions individually engaging said needle retracting devices Ifor placing both needle retracting devices in a position for engaging said needles, or -for placing both needle retracting devices in a position in which said retracting `devices are out of the way of said needles, or for placing one of said retracting devices in a position to engage said needles and the other retracting device out of the Way of said needles, and manually operable means connected to said plate and to said positiom'ng means for selectively placing the latter into positions effecting one of said four relative positions of said needle retracting devices.

2. In a hand |knitting machine as ydefined in claim 1 and wherein said advancing device is movably connected to said plate for movement in a direction normal to the plane in which the knitting needles are placed, manually operable means connected to said plate and to said needle advancing device for selectively moving the latter to a position in which said guide surfaces of said advancing device are in a position to engage said needles and to a position in which said guide surfaces of said advancing device are out of the way of said needles.

3. In a hand knitting machine as dened in claim 1 and wherein said retracting devices individually include springs individually urging said retracting devices to- Ward one of their extreme positions, said positioning means including a cam rail movable in the direction of movability of said plate and engaging said retracting devices for individually and simultaneously placing said retracting devices against the action of said springs in the -desired relative positions.

4. In a hand knitting machine as dened in claim 1 and wherein the guide surfaces of said advancing device are oppositely inclined, each of said retracting devices including a plate provided with a slot which is substantially ,parallel` to one of the guide surfaces of said advancing device, a cam member having a guide surface for `guiding the lknitting needles, said guide surface being substantially parallel to said slot, slide means mounted on said cam member and extending into said slot for guiding said cam member to move longitudinally of said slot, and a pin extending from said slide means, manually operable adjusting means being connected to said plate and including means engaging said pins for simultaneously moving said cam members longitudinally of said slots and thereby simultaneously adjusting the position of the guide surfaces of said cam members relatively to the guide surfaces of said advancing device.

5. In a hand knitting machine according to claim 4 and wherein said adjusting means includes a carrier movable transversely to the direction of movement of said actuating slide and having guide surfaces individually engaging said pins.

6. In a hand knitting machine according to claim 5, two rockers individually pivotally mounted on said carrier, said rockers individually having guide surfaces which are individually opposite to the guide surfaces of said carrier, said pins individually extending between a guide surface on said carrier and the opposed guide surface of the respective rocker, a spring connected With each of said rockers and with said carrier for urging the guide surface of the respective rocker against said pin and the latter against the respective guide surface of said carrier and affording yielding of said cam members and suspending actuation of said needles during at least a portion of the movement of said actuating slide.

7. I-n a hand knitting machine according to claim 1, f

a needle `catch and guide flap having a needle guide portion and being swingably connected to said plate, said needle advancing device including la member movable into an advanced and into a retracted position in a plane which is parallel to the plane in lwhich the knitting needles are placed and in a direction which is parallel to the longitudinal axes of the knitting needles, said member having a needle guide surface forming a continuation of one of said needle guide surfaces of said advancing device when said member is in the advanced position, said needle guide portion of said flap resting against said member when the latter is in the advanced position whereby said `guide portion forms a continuation of the other of the guide surfaces of said advancing device, said needle catch and guide llap being disengaged from said Vmember' and freely swingable when said member is in the retracted position.

8. In a hand knitting machine according to claim 1 and wherein Y said actuating slide includes means for returning needles, which have been longitudinally moved outside of the operating range of said advancing and retracting devices, to the operating range of said devices.

9. In a hand knitting machine according to claim 8 and wherein said return means include needle guide elements individually placed at the ends of said actuating slide, resilient means individually connecting said guide elements to said plate and urging said guide elements to a position in which said elements are out of the way of the needles, and manually operable means connected to said plate and to said resilient means for moving said guide elements into needle engaging position against the action of said resilient means.

10. In a hand knitting machine according to claim 8 and wherein said return means include a needle guide element placed in the middle lof said actuating slide and having converging needle guide surfaces, said element being movably connected to said plate to` move in a direction at a right angle to the plane in which the knitting needles are placed, resilient means connected to said plate and to said element and urging the latter out of the way of the needles, and manually operable means operatively connected to said plate and to said element for moving said guide element into needle engaging position against the action of said resilient means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 775,742 Bach Nov. 22, 1904 941,2016 Popp Nov. 23, 1909 1,609,325 Strelz Dec. 7, 1926 2,122,239 RobacZyns-ki June 28, 1938 2,856,763 Kaufmann Oct. 21, 1958 

